1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an operation apparatus, an image forming apparatus having the same, and an operation method.
2. Related Art
In recent years, techniques that display on the screen a liking key to which desired setting conditions for the functions of an image forming apparatus can be assigned are adopted in operation apparatuses provided in image forming apparatuses such as copiers, facsimile transmission and receiving machines, and multi function peripherals.
For example, when assigning selection items, “COLOR” and “PUNCH”, which belong to a predetermined function item “COPY”, among a plurality of function items which indicate functions, the user first selects a specific function item, “COPY” key in a function selection screen where a plurality of function item keys are selectably displayed, to display a function setting screen assigned to “COPY”. Here, a plurality of selection item keys associated to the above “COPY” and the liking key are selectably displayed on the above function setting screen. Then, when the user selects a liking key after selecting the selection items, “COLOR” key and “PUNCH” key, a setting condition (output condition) for the above “COLOR” and a setting condition for “PUNCH” are assigned to the liking key. Accordingly, when the user selects the liking key next, the assigned setting conditions are set (inputted) without the user selecting “COLOR” key and “PUNCH” key of the function setting screen. Therefore, the number of key operation by the user is reduced.
However, in the operation apparatus described above, since the liking key is selectably displayed only in the function setting screen, a setting condition assigned to the liking key is only the setting condition of the selection item key selectably displayed in the function setting screen. Therefore, assignment work (pasting work) is needed for every function item. As a result, the assignment work by the user has become complicated.
In contrast, in a conventional technique, for example, an operation apparatus is disclosed, which can display on the display a shortcut key display screen having a shortcut key which can be assigned a setting condition of any function item among a plurality of function items, and is provided with an assignment instruction key for instructing to a plurality of function setting screens to assign the setting condition of the function item to the shortcut key. In the operation apparatus, when the assignment instruction key is selected, the setting condition of a series of function items set by the time the function setting screen having the assignment instruction key is displayed on the display is assigned to the shortcut key. As such, it is written that setting conditions of a series of function items set through respective function setting screens can be assigned to a predetermined shortcut key, and there is no necessity of doing assignment work for every function item as in conventional techniques, and assignment work is simplified, and the operativity of the operation apparatus can be improved.
In the above conventional technique, setting conditions Of a series of function items that have been set can be assigned to predetermined shortcut keys. However, since the setting conditions of a series of function items to be assigned are various and diversified for each user, it is often the case in which the setting conditions of a series of function items assigned by one user cannot be used by other users.
In addition, when the user sets (inputs) a setting condition of a predetermined function item through the function selection screen where a plurality of function item keys are displayed, usually, in many cases, setting conditions of a plurality of function items are combined. Therefore, if setting conditions for a plurality of function items that are associated in advance can be set in the same screen with one key operation by associating in advance function items that are combined repeatedly in a certain form with each other, it may be possible to reduce the number of times of key operation and the time needed for key operation work.